Fall Is Coming to Iowa: These Are My Big 3 Places to Chase the Colors
It won't be long now. Before we know it, the green of summer will start giving way to yellow, orange, and red; and Iowa's forests, hills, and valleys will put on one of the best shows of the year.
I've spent a lot of time exploring Iowa with my family. We've hiked state parks, wandered through wildlife areas, climbed bluffs, followed streams, and put plenty of miles on our hiking boots. Some trips have been short afternoon adventures, while others have turned into full weekend excursions with backpacks loaded with food and camping gear. Along the way, I've found some places that really stand out, and three of them keep coming back to mind whenever I start thinking about fall and the changing leaves.
I've actually written about all three of these places before, and for good reason. I've hiked them, explored them with my family, and taken a whole lot of pictures along the way. They also offer three very different versions of Iowa. So if I had to pick my Big 3 places to chase the fall colors this year, these are the ones I'd choose.
#3: Backbone State Park
I've been to Backbone State Park a few times now, and every trip seems to uncover something different. On one of our earlier adventures, my family and I spent a good amount of time exploring the park on foot. We hiked the Backbone Trail, East Lake Trail, West Lake Trail, and Six Pines Trail, finding plenty of rocky sections, elevation changes, wooded trails, streams and views along the way. We even spotted some five-lined skinks, which was a pretty cool bonus.
The Devil's Backbone is obviously the star of the park, but I think the entire place becomes more interesting when you get out of the car and start exploring. The rugged dolomite cliffs, dense woods, and lake to river expanse give Backbone a character that you don't find in many other Iowa parks. And I recently went back again with my family, where we explored even more of the park, including the Devil's Backbone, the CCC Museum, Fenchel Creek, and the cave. We also stopped at Richmond Springs and found trout in the clear, cool water.
READ MORE: Explore Eastern Iowa's Highest Point at Our Oldest State Park
That is one of the reasons I think Backbone belongs on a fall-color road trip. You aren't just driving somewhere to look at a bunch of trees. You can hike through the woods, walk along the water, climb around the rocky formations and find completely different views as you move through the park. When all of those trees start turning yellow, orange, and red, I think the combination of forest, rock and water is going to make Backbone one of the prettiest places to spend a fall day.
READ MORE: Exploring Iowa's Oldest State Park: A New Adventure at Dundee's Backbone
#2: Loess Hills State Forest
When most people think about Iowa's best fall colors, northeast Iowa is probably one of the first places that comes to mind. But don't forget about western Iowa.
My family and I made a trip through the Loess Hills, and it was one of those adventures where you keep finding yourself looking around and thinking about how different the landscape is from the rest of Iowa. We drove the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway between Pisgah and Moorhead and eventually made our way to an overlook with an incredible panoramic view. We even took a chance on one of the Level B roads in the area. It was one of those roads that was equal parts cool and a little scary, especially after learning more about the "sugar clay" that makes up so much of the Loess Hills.
READ MORE: Beauty Abounds in Western Iowa's Loess Hills
Unfortunately, our timing didn't allow us to explore as much of the state forest as I would have liked. The visitor center had already closed for the day and the state forest area was opening the following day, so we only had time for a short hike. Even with that limited time, though, the scenery made an impression on me.
The Loess Hills are just different. You're not simply surrounded by a wall of trees like you might be in some of Iowa's more heavily wooded areas. Instead, you're looking across ridges and valleys, with the unusual landscape itself becoming part of the fall-color experience. Add in a scenic drive, a few overlooks and some hiking, and you've got a pretty great fall road trip.
That's why the Loess Hills make my #2 spot. I wouldn't necessarily go there expecting it to look like Yellow River or Backbone. I'd go because it doesn't.
#1: Yellow River State Forest
If you've read some of my other Iowa adventure stories, this one probably isn't going to surprise you. Yellow River State Forest is my #1, probably always will be.
I've been saying for years that the Driftless Region of northeast Iowa may be the most beautiful part of the state, and Yellow River is a big reason why. My first trip there left a pretty big impression on me. The steep ridges, deep valleys, trout streams, and massive overlooks made the area feel completely different from the Iowa I was used to. I even started calling it the "Smoky Mountains of Iowa."
READ MORE: In My Opinion, the Northeast Iowa Driftless Region Is the Most Beautiful Place in the State
The funny thing is, the place stayed in my mind long after that first visit. I kept going back through the photos and thinking about the scenery. Eventually, my wife and I decided it was time to return, but this time we wanted to see more of it. We loaded up our backpacks with three days of food and gear and set out on the Backpackers Loop.
That trip gave me an entirely different appreciation for Yellow River. We hiked roughly 14 miles on the loop, added extra miles to the Fire Tower and Cedar Point Overlook, explored the Luster Heights Unit and dealt with some serious elevation changes. On one day alone, we climbed roughly 1,200 feet. For Iowa, that's no joke.
We also saw wildlife everywhere. Foxes, deer, raccoons, opossums, turtles, snakes, toads, trout, squirrels and more birds than we could count. But as impressive as all of that was, it was the scenery that kept getting us to stop and look around. Larkin Overlook remains my favorite view in the entire state forest, and the North Overlook at Luster Heights is another place that makes you realize just how beautiful northeast Iowa can be.
READ MORE: This Is Iowa?! Backpacking the Beautiful Yellow River State Forest
That is what puts Yellow River at the top of my fall list. It isn't just the trees. It's the hillsides covered in color, the valleys below them, the bluffs, the water and all those overlooks where you can stand above the landscape and take it all in. When the hardwoods start changing, the entire Driftless landscape becomes part of the show. Here's the best part: three of the major overlooks here can be driven to!
I've been back to Yellow River several times now, and I still find myself wanting to return. If you asked me where I'd go if I only had one fall weekend to chase the colors in Iowa, this would be it.
Honorable Mention: Iowa's Other Forests
Of course, these aren't the only places in Iowa where you can find great fall colors. I wrote about seven of Iowa's top forests a few years ago, and several of those would make excellent fall destinations as well. Stephens State Forest, Shimek State Forest, Gifford State Forest and White Pine Hollow all offer their own scenery, trails and opportunities to get outside. So, if you want even more ideas for an Iowa fall adventure, check out my full list.
READ MORE: Iowa's Top 7 Forests to Hike, Camp, and Enjoy
The tricky thing about fall colors is that you don't get a whole lot of time. You can spend weeks watching the trees slowly change, then suddenly have a windy weekend come through and strip half the leaves away. That's part of what makes fall hiking so much fun, though. You have to pay attention and be ready to go.
For me, these places offer three completely different Iowa experiences. Backbone gives you rugged terrain, rock formations, water and forest. The Loess Hills give you sweeping views and a landscape you really won't find anywhere else in the state. And Yellow River gives you the hills, valleys, streams and overlooks of the Driftless Region.
I've hiked all three, explored them with my family, and taken a whole lot of pictures along the way. If you're looking for somewhere to chase the colors this fall, these are my Big 3. Now all we need is for those leaves to start changing.
Tom Drake Returns to Backpack Iowa's Yellow River State Forest
Gallery Credit: Tom Drake
Photos: Whitewater Canyon in Bernard, Iowa
Gallery Credit: Tom Drake
